1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to methods for manufacturing catheters, and, in particular, methods for manufacturing catheters having a separated tip configuration.
2. Description of the Related Art
Catheters are flexible medical devices which facilitate the withdrawal and introduction of fluids from and to body cavities, ducts, and vessels. Catheter assemblies may have particular application in a hemodialysis procedure where blood is withdrawn from a blood vessel for treatment and subsequently returned to the blood vessel for circulation. Known hemodialysis catheters include multiple lumens, such as dual-lumen or triple-lumen catheters, which permit bi-directional fluid flow within the catheter whereby one lumen is dedicated for withdrawal of blood from a body vessel and the other lumen is dedicated for returning the treated blood to the vessel. During an exemplary hemodialysis procedure, a multiple lumen catheter is inserted into a body and blood is withdrawn through an arterial lumen of the catheter. The removed blood is directed to a hemodialysis unit which dialyzes, or purifies, the blood to remove waste and toxins from the blood. The dialyzed blood is returned to the patient through a venous lumen of the catheter.
Catheters can be manufactured using a variety of techniques including, for example, extrusion. For example, some catheters are formed by extruding a molten polymer through an extrusion die capable of producing a catheter having a uniform outer diameter. However, the addition of separated tip configurations to catheters has complicated these manufacturing techniques.
Accordingly, a continuing need exists in the medical arts for a simpler, cost effective method for manufacturing a catheter having a separated tip configuration.